Lift



F. H. MEYER ET AL LIFT 5 Sheets- Sheet 1 AFiled Jan. 22. 1925 'Wine-ff.'

Fredazuk F. H. MEYER ET AL Jan, 13, i925.

LIFT

Filed Jan. 22, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 jan, 13, 1925. 11,522,967

Y F. H. MEYER ET AL LIFT Filed Jan. 22, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lim/mima I'recZerfc/f ILD/Za er".

' Patented Jan. 13, 1925.L

UNITED STATES FREDERICK H. MEYERv AND FREDERICK J. ZYLMAN, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN,

, ASSIGNORS 1'IO LEITELT IRON WORKS, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, A. COR- PORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

LIFT.

Application led January 22, 1923. Serial No. 614,136.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that we, FREDERICK H. MEYER and FREDERICK J. YLMAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lifts, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to lifts, particularly such as are employed for raising and lowering trucks for lumber and the like; and anwobject thereof is. generally, to

, provide an improved lift of this character;

a further object is to provide in a lift, having a platform raised and lowered by vertical screws, improved means for lubricating such screws and their nuts; a further object is to provide casings for such screws and nuts; a further object is to provide' means whereby the platform may be limitedly moved horizontally relatively to such nuts and screws; and a further object is to provide improved secondary or safety nuts the body of this vspecification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is 4a side view of a lift, one c orner portion of which is shown in section taken on a vertical plane corresponding to line 1--1 of Fig. 2, the power means for operatingthe lift being omitted freni this view Figure 2 is a plan view of the lowerpart of the same, the left-hand lower corner portion of the liftl in this view being shown in section taken on horizontal planes corresponding to line 2-2 of Figure 1 andthe threaded shafts, etc. adjacent othercornersy of the lift being shown in section lon line 2 a of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectionalview of one of the threaded shafts and the nut traveling thereon and a portion of the platforms supporting framework, taken on horizontal planes corresponding to line 3-*3 of Figure 4; 4 a

Fi re 4 is ad central longitudinal sectiona view of the same parte taken` on a vertical plane corresponding to line 4-4 of` Figure 3; y

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure A: but showing a modified construction of the same parts; and v Figure is a bottom plan view of a secondary or Safety nut.

In the embodiment of they invention chosen for illustration by the drawings and for detailed description in the body of this specification, the building housing the lift contains a suitable frame comprising upright posts 1', preferably of channelled metal construction as shown, and floors, only one of which, however, appears inthe drawings. Each of the four posts 1 of this frame carries pairs of journal bearings, the members 3. 4 of each pair being vertically spaced apart. Threaded .shafts 5 are journaled adjacent their uppeends in the bearings 3 and adjacent their lower ends inthe bearings 4, the lower bearings having cup portions 6 extending below the lower ends f the shafts and adapted to rhold oil. A platform 7 on which lumber-trucks may be wheeled, is supported adjacent its four corners by the nuts 8 threaded and traveling on the shafts. Vertically extending casings 9 surround the shafts respectively and the nuts thereon and have vertical slits 10 'through' which extend and freely move vertically thel extensions or connections 12 between thelbody of the 'platform andits suporting nuts, such connections being reduced 1n horizontal thickness, at 11, where theyv pass. through .the slits. These nuts have body portions `14 threaded on the shafts and anges 13 `on which the platforms said connections 12 rest. These connections have vertically extending openings 15 loosely surrounding and containing the body p0rtions 14 ofthe nuts, whereby the platform may'have a limited horizontal slidin movement on these flanges relatively'to tie nuts and to the shafts,.so that the impact of a wheeled truck moved onto the platform may cause the connections 12 to sli somewhat on the anges 13 an thus prevent'undue stressing, bending or straining such shafts. ,y

The posts 1 provide stops er means independent 'of the body portions of` the nuts or slide y eoV for limiting the horizontal 'movement of the platform, thus stopping such movement before the shafts are in any case unduly strained by such movement. In Figure 5 the-upper surface 16 of the flange or platform-supporting portion v13 of the nut is shown flat, but in Figures 1 and 4 such surface p16l is shown conical or inclined, so that the platform tends to return by its weight to its normal position wherein the shafts and nuts are co-axial with the openings 15. This provision of a sliding contact between the platforms connections 12 and their supporting nuts also obviates difficulties arising' from slight inaccuracies in vertically positioning bearings of the shafts and slight non-parallelism of the shafts.

The upper bearings 3 for the shafts 5 have'a oiling orifices 17 which may be closed by covers 40. The oil lsupplied to these orifices descends along the threaded shafts and thus lubricates the nuts'thereon and also `the lower bearings 4 ofthe shafts. In this manner the gears 18 keyed on the shafts and their intermeshing gears 19 keyed on vthe horizontal shaft 20 and contained in a vesvsel 21 may also be lubricated; while a. channel 22, extending from the vessel 21 into. the vessel 23 containing the gear 24 on the shaft 2O and also the driving lgear 25 meshing with the gear 24, sup lie's oil for lubricating these last-mentioned gears. It will be seen that the casings 9 not only protect operatives and others from injury by comin into contact with the threaded shafts an their nuts, but also keeps these parts from dirt and dust to a great degree. The four threaded shafts 5 are rotated simultaneously to -raise or lower the platform by suitable mechanism, as the motor indicated at 30 whose shaft has the clutch indicated at 31 and the gear indicated at 32l` meshing with the-indicated gear 33 on the shaft 34 on which` are keyed gears 25. Secondary nuts 35 spaced a short distancebey low the nuts 8 and traveling along the shafts therewith as by the pins 36 carried by the platform `andengaging in slots 37 in the secondaryfnu'ts-se1ve to prevent the platform from fail-ling in case the nuts 8 break or become unduly worn. These pins 36 or pins 41 carried by the platform and' engaglng in slots 39 in the nuts 8 prevent these nuts fromturning with the shafts. A bearing 38 between the gears 19 and 24 is provided for the shaft 20. 1

In Figure 6, .the secondary nut 35? is shown provided with a plurality of radially extending openings or slots. 371- angularly spaced apart. By this provision the secondary nut may be turned on the threaded shaft a part turn to adjust it at a desired distance from the main nut 8, whereupon the p-in 36 may be inserted into that slot which is in, registration With the pins threaded socket 42 and thereupon screwed into said socket. It will be seen that by reason of this plurality of slots 371 the secondary nut may be positioned on the shaft at distances from the main nut less than can be accomplished by,'turning the secondary nut a complete turn on the threaded shaft 5.

The invention being intended to be pointed out in the cla'ins, is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings or liereinbefore described or shown.-

IVe claim: 1. In a. lift;y a frame carrying a pair of journal bearings vertically spaced apart' ,a threaded vertical shaft jo'urnalled in Said bearings: a gear keyed tothe lower end of said shaft; av horizontal rotatable shaft; a gear keyedthcreon meshing with the yfirstmentioned gear: another gear keyed on the, horizontal shaft; a bearing for the horizontal shaft-.between thegears thereon; a driving gear meshing with the third-mentioned gear; vessels containing the respective pairs of intermesh-ing gears and adapted to hold oil, and having .an oil channel extending between them; a vplatform a nut threaded on thevertical shaft,

2. In a lift: a frame carrying a pair of journal bearings vertically-spaced apart; a threaded vertical shaft jonrnalled in said bearings: a gear keyed to the lower end of said shaft; aihorizontal rotatable shaft; a gear keyed thereon meshing with the firsthavlng ico mentioned gear: another gear keyed on the horizontal shaft; a driving gear meshing with the third-mentioned gear: vessels co'ntaining the respective pairs of intermeshing gears and adapted to lhold oil, and having an oil channel extending between them; a platform having a nut threaded on the ver,- tical shaft. t

' -3. In a lift: a frame carrying pairs of journal bea-rings. the members of e'achpair being vertically. spaced apart; threaded shafts journalled in said bearings; a platform the shafts and horizontally-reduced connections between the platform and the nuts respectively; vertically extending casings Surrounding the shafts respectively and their nuts and having vertical slits through, which said connections are adapted to freely vertically; means for rotating the shafts simultaneously.

4. In a lift; la frame carrying pairs of journal bearings, the members of each pair being vertically spaced apart: threaded shafts journalled in said bearings; nuts having body portions threaded on the shafts and platform-supporting portions; a horizontal platform supported lon said supporthaving supporting nuts threadedl on cally extending openings loosely containing the body portions of the nuts, whereby the platform has a limited horizontal movement relatively to the nuts and shafts; means for rotating the shafts simultaneously.

5. In a lift; a frame carrying pairs of journal bearings, the members of each pair being vertically spaced apart; threaded shafts journalled in said bearings; nuts having body portions threaded on the shafts and platform-supporting portions; a horizontal platform supported on said supporting portions of the nuts and having vertically extending openings loosely containing the body portions of the nuts, whereby the platform has a limited horizontal movement relatively to the nuts and shafts; independent means for limiting said horizontal movement of the platform; means for rotating Ithe shafts simultaneously.

6. In a lift; a frame carrying pairs of journal bearings, the members of each pair being vertically spaced apart; threaded shafts journalled in said bearings; nuts havin body portions threaded on the shafts and p atform-supporting portions having inclined upper surfaces; a horizontal platform supported on said upper surfaces and having vertically extending openings loosely containing the body portions of the nuts whereby the platform has a horizontal movement relatively to the nuts and shafts; means for rotating the shafts' simultaneously.

7. In combination; a vertically disposed screw: a nut threaded thereon; a secondary nut threaded on the screw below the firstmentioned nut and having a plurality of angularly spaced openings; a pin adapted to engage in any of said openings and detachably carried in non-rotatable relation to the first-mentioned nut.

, In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands at Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 28th day of December, 1922.

FREDERICK H. MEYER. FREDERICK J. ZYLMAN.

Elli 

